Portable dry concentrator for ores



June 26, 1956 R. E. CLINT PORTABLE DRY CONCENTRATOR FOR ORES 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 23, 1954 INVENTOR. Roy E. C/friz June 26, 1956R. E. CLINT 2,752,041

DRY CONCENTRATOR FOR ORES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PORTABLE Filed Dec. 23, 1954IJYVENTOR. C///7z Roy E.

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United States Patent PORTABLE DRY CONCENTRATOR FOR ORES Roy E. Clint,Placerville, Calif.

Application December 23, 1954, Serial No. 477,277

2 Claims. (Cl. 209-475) The present invention relates to dryconcentrators for ores of the type which are portable and are used forseparating fiake and nugget gold, and other heavy metal particles fromsand and gravel.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a portable dryconcentrator for ores which has relatively few parts, including a handor foot operated bellows, and one having special means for concentratingthe gold or other metal particles upon the top of the concentratingtable.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable, lightweight concentrating device for gold and other metals and one that hasrelatively few parts, easily assembled, and one which has special meanswithin the table between the top surface and the bottom surface forcreating eddies of air as it passes through, blowing the sand and gravelaway from intimate contact with the gold or other metal.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a dry concentratorfor ores having a hand or foot operated bellows for passing air througha concentrator table, the surfaces of which are disposed in spaced apartrelation with the special means within the table for passing the airthrough the table from the bellows in such a way as to create eddies inthe air, so as to better concentrate the gold particles and separatethem from the sand and gravel.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will befully apparent from the following description, when taken in connectionwith the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure l is a side view in elevation, partially in crosssection, of thepresent invention,

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the hollow concentrating table of thepresent invention, partially broken away to show the various layers andthe construction of the table,

Figure 3 is a side view in cross section of the table as seen in line 33of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is an end view (in cross-section) of the table (taken on line44 of Figure l), and

Figure 5 is a detailed view of a cross-section, greatly enlarged,similar to the view shown in Figure 3.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing in which like numeralsindicate like parts through the several views, the invention is seen toconsist of an upstanding frame 11) having depending legs 11 and sidemembers 12 which support the forwardly projecting top member 13 and thesloping member 14, the latter forming Sides for a bin one panel of whichis indicated by the reference numeral 15 in Figure 1, and a back panelof which is represented by the numeral 16 in that figure.

One side of the bin is shown in Figure 1, and is seen to be composed ofsheet metal, preferably galvanized iron, and as indicated by thereference numeral 17.

The concentrating table of the present invention is formed with a pairof side members 18, each composed 2,752,041 Patented June 26, 1956 'iceof three strips of wood, as seen in end view in cross-section in Figure4, and the side members 18 have their upper ends fastened to the frame10 with their lower ends closed by a plate 19. Substantially at theirmid length, the side members 18 are fastened together with a piece ofscrap iron indicated by the reference numeral 20 in Figure l andassembled in place with a bolt 21 and a thumb nut 22.

Referring to Figure 4 in greater detail, the side members 18 arecomposed of the pieces 23, 24 and 25.

The pieces 23 do not extend all the way to the upstanding frame 10 butare terminated adjacent the forward edge of the sloping members 14 oneither side of the bin.

The opening into the bin at the lower end thereof is closed by aswinging plate 26, as seen in Figure 1, supported at about its midlength upon a couple of posts 27, on each side of the plate, the latterof which is movable to a dotted line position indicated by the referencenumeral 26' in Figure l.

A concentrating table of the present invention, as seen in greaterdetail in Figures 2 to 5, is seen to be hollow with a bottom surfacehaving a roller plate of galvanized sheet metal with 4;" holes spaced/2" and center from each other. This plate is indicated by referencenumeral 28 in each of the Figures 2 and 5. Covering this is a screen offine mesh indicated by the reference numeral 29, this with the plate 28constituting the bottom surface of the hollow concentrating table.Disposed in face-to-face spaced relation with respect to the bottomsurface of the table is the top surface having a similar fine meshscreen indicated by the reference numeral 30 in each of Figures 2 and 5,over which is drawn a sheet of fabric indicated by the reference numeral31 in a taut condition.

Rifile bars indicated by the reference numeral 32 extend from one sideof the table to the other and have their ends anchored in the cases 24in sockets provided therefor. The pieces 23 and 24 are provided withdiagonally disposed slots 33 into each of which is slidable, removableritfie plate 34, for a certain purpose to be explained later.

An important feature of the present invention is shown in side and endcross-sectional views 3 to 5 in which bars 35 are provided spacedtransversally with respect to the table and in side-to-side parallelspaced relation with respect to each other. Each of the bars 35 areformed with passages 36 disposed in a double row for the length of thebar 35 and an equally spaced distance from each other. Each of thepassages 36 have an enlarged portion 37 adjacent each of the top andbottom faces of the associated bar 35.

The enlarged portion 37 of each of the passages 36 is shown to behemispherical in shape and with the passage 36 constitutes a means forpassing air under pressure from the bottom surface to the top surface ofthe concentrator table.

Referring to Figure l, a bellows (38) is seen to be attached to theunderside of the table between the legs 11 and the lower ends of theside members 18 (the bellows constituting an air pressure chamber).

The bellows 38 is formed with fabric side walls and with a solid endwall 39 which is provided, as shown in partial cross-section in Figure 1with a flapper valve 4% for the admission of air to the bellows upon itsexpanding stroke. A spring 41 biases the bellows to closed position toforce air through the concentrator table and a handle 42 is provided bymeans of which the bellows is again expanded against the tension of thespring 41.

The swinging plate 26 which normally closes the bin is biased to closedposition by the spring 43.

A sponge rubber piece 44 extending between the legs 11 is intended tostraddle the shoulder of the operator as he carries the concentratortable of the present invention from one location to another, it beingunderstood that the bellows 38 would then be in collapsed condition. Inoperation, sand and gravel containing gold flakes, or other particles,is introduced into the bin and the swinging plate 26 opened to permitsome of it to fall upon the crossed top of the concentrator table. Airforced through the Openings in the screen mesh and through the passageswithin the bars 35 and between the bars 35 acts to lift the sand andgravel, being lighter than the gold, upwardly and as it falls it travelsdown the surface of the table, leaving the gold or other heavy metal onthe surface of the cloth and generally in lines adjacent to the rods 32.It has been observed with the present invention in use that the airpassing through the passage in the bars 35 commingles with the airpassing between the bar 35, eddies over the bars 35 at their edgespermitting the sand and gravel to be thrown higher while the gold andother heavy metal particles are thrown only a short way above the tableto which they return almost immediately while the sand and gravel isstill being blown as each blast of air through the table diminishes.Referring again to the Figure 4, it will be seen that each of the bars35 is provided at its end with a tenon 45 by means of which it is heldin the piece 25.

In some cases of exceptionally fine particles of precious metal, theaddition of the riflle plates 34 to the top of the table either singlyor in combination, will assist in concentrating the particles andseparating the particles from the sand and gravel.

While a single embodiment of the present invention has been hereillustrated and described, it is believed that other embodiments may bemade and practiced within the scope of the appended claims withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a dry concentrator for ores including an air pressure chamber opento the top and a hollow concentrating table having pervious-to-air topand bottom surfaces disposed in face-to-face spaced relation withrespect to each other, said table being disposed in superimposedrelation with respect to and closing the top of said chamber, the

' face.

improvement consisting in providing means for creating eddies in the airpassing through the table from said chamber, said means comprising aplurality of bars disposed transversely within said table inside-by-side spaced relation with respect to each other, said barshaving their bottoms in abutting relation with the bottom surface ofsaid table and their tops in abutting relation with the top surface ofsaid table, each of said bars being formed with a passage for airextending from the bottom to the top for conducting air from the bottomsurface of said table to the top surface, said passages being formed sothat air passing therethrough and air passing between said bars eddieswhen commingled above said table top sur- 2. In a dry concentrator forores including an air pressure chamber open to the top and a hollowconcentrating table having pervious-to-air top and bottom surfacesdisposed in face-to-face spaced relation with respect to each other,said table being disposed in superimposed relation with respect to andclosing the top of said chamber, the improvement consisting in providingmeans for creating eddies in the air passing through the table from saidchamber, said means comprising a plurality of bars disposed transverselywithin said table in side-by-side spaced relation with respect to eachother, said bars having their bottom in abutting relation with thebottom surface of said table and their tops in abutting relation withthe top surface of said table, each of said bars being formed with apassage for air extending from the bottom to the top for conducting airfrom the bottom surface of said table to the top surface, said passageseach having an enlarged portion adjacent to the top and bottom face ofthe associated bar and a reduced portion connecting the enlarged portionso that air passing therethrough and air passing between said barseddies when commingled above said table top surface.

Husemann Mar. 24, 1891 Lightfoot July 18, 1933

1. IN A DRY CONCENTRATOR FOR ORES INCLUDING AN AIR PRESSURE CHAMBER OPENTO THE TOP AND A HOLLOW CONCENTRATING TABLE HAVING PERVIOUS-TO-AIR TOPAND BOTTOM SURFACES DISPOSED IN FACE-TO-FACE SPACED RELATION WITHRESPECT TO EACH OTHER, SAID TABLE BEING DISPOSED IN SUPERIMPOSEDRELATION WITH RESPECT TO AND CLOSING THE TOP OF SAID CHAMBER, THEIMPROVEMENT CONSISTING IN PROVIDING MEANS FOR CREATING EDDIES IN THE AIRPASSING THROUGH THE TABLE FROM SAID CHAMBER, SAID MEANS COMPRISING APLURALITY OF BARS DISPOSED TRANSVERSELY WITHIN SAID TABLE INSIDE-BY-SIDE SPACED RELATION WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER, SAID BARSHAVING THEIR BOTTOMS IN ABUTTING RELATION WITH THE BOTTOM SURFACE OFSAID TABLE AND THEIR TOPS IN ABUTTING RELATION WITH THE TOP SURFACE OFSAID TABLE, EACH OF SAID BARS BEING FORMED WITH A PASSAGE FOR AIREXTENDING FROM THE BOTTOM TO THE TOP FOR CONDUCTING AIR FROM THE BOTTOMSURFACE OF SAID TABLE TO THE TOP SURFACE, SAID PASSAGE BEING FORMED SOTHAT AIR PASSING THERETHROUGH AND AIR PASSING BETWEEN SAID BARS EDDIESWHEN COMMINGLED ABOVE SAID TABLE TOP SURFACE.